View from a Second Story Window
by Suspicious Popsicle
Summary: Yuri plays truth or dare and doesn't understand why Flynn gets so upset over being made part of a dare. High school AU. Fluri, smidges of Ristelle. Rated for language.
1. Part 1

A/N: I wrote a high school AU, FML. What the hell can I even say about this? There's a handful of random pop culture references and stupid, clichéd teenager shit. Do kids even play truth or dare these days? Get off my lawn.

The album _So Long, Astoria_ by The Ataris is heavily referenced in this story because it is one of my two favorite CDs and I am starting to read Fluri into everything no I don't have a problem shut up.

Fluri, smidges of Ristelle

Disclaimer: The characters and settings in this story are borrowed from _Tales of Vesperia_ and do not belong to me.

* * *

Yuri's phone hissed and made a noise like a small explosion, pulling Flynn's attention away from the problem he'd been trying to solve.

"What was that?"

"Text from Judy." Yuri was already checking the message, glad to have a valid excuse not to be studying. Glancing at Flynn, he grinned. "I set it to make the creeper noise for her."

"Creeper noise?"

"They sneak up behind you and blow your shit up."

Flynn got it immediately. They had both taken karate classes with Judy. She was dangerous.

"Awesome! She says she's coming home for Estelle's birthday."

Judy was a freshman in college and the oldest of the Lowell-Heurassein children. She had moved into the dorms at Deidon U the past fall, and the separation bothered Yuri more than he would admit. Judy was a year older, tough-as-nails, and the best sister a guy could've asked for. They'd been inseparable hell raisers since Yuri was old enough to tag along after her and end up taking most of the blame for their escapades. The story about the flour bomb was still told with a mix of exasperation, amusement, and horror at every family reunion.

"It's been a while since I saw her. How's she doing?"

"Same as usual." He was distracted with his reply. After a moment, he added: "She says it's a surprise, so don't tell Estelle."

"I won't see her before you do." Yuri didn't respond.

Flynn turned back to his math homework. It didn't come as easily to him as the other subjects did, which was why he had asked Yuri over to study. Yuri was good at math, aggravatingly so, as he never seemed to actually crack a book outside of class. He was smarter than he let on, and if only he would apply himself, he could easily earn a scholarship to Zaphias, rather than settling for Deidon.

Yuri's phone did that hissing creeper thing again twice more over the next few minutes. When he checked Judy's third message, Yuri stood up and started shoving his things into his backpack.

"Gotta go. Meeting Judy at the coffee shop." He paused a moment, looked up to see Flynn staring at him, surprised. "You still coming over tonight? For the party?"

"Yeah, of course."

Yuri grinned, slung the bag over his shoulder, and took off. His boots pounded loudly down the stairs. Flynn could hear his younger brother Karol catch up to him on his way out. Karol adored Yuri, his big brother's best friend who called him 'boss' and treated him like an adult.

Left alone in his room, Flynn sighed. He hadn't expected Judy to call her brother away, but he couldn't very well ask Yuri to sacrifice time with her in favor of a study date—a study _session_! He'd meant to think of it as a study _session_.

Heaving another sigh, Flynn buried his face in his hands. His mind was going to get him in serious trouble one of these days if any of his increasingly common little bouts of wishful thinking escaped the confines of his thoughts and made it out his mouth.

He was pretty sure Judy had figured out long ago that he was having inappropriate thoughts about her younger brother. For a while, she had teased him about it but she did it in Judy-speak, which meant the jibes were so subtle, he still wasn't one hundred percent sure if she knew. Judy really was scary.

Well, in less than a year, it wouldn't matter so much anymore. Flynn was going to Zaphias. He'd have to live in the dorms since it was too far to commute. The way Yuri was headed, he'd end up at Deidon. They wouldn't see each other every day anymore. They'd grow up and grow apart. Maybe then that stupid, persistent crush on his best friend would just disappear.

College was going to suck.

It was almost a quarter 'till five. He still had the better part of an hour before he'd need to leave. Best to try and finish up that math on his own. He looked down at the problem, lost. He really needed Yuri.

* * *

"Surprise!"

"Judy!" Estelle launched herself at her sister, barely giving Yuri time to get out of the way. "I missed you!"

Smiling, Judy returned the hug. "You saw me only two weeks ago."

Estelle squeezed a little harder for a moment before letting go. "Mom, Judy's here!"

"I see that, dear." Irena Lowell wrapped an arm around Estelle's shoulders, pulling her away from the door as she beckoned Judy and Yuri inside. She kissed Judy's cheek and brushed a hand over her daughter's hair. She was used to the deep purple dye. The blue streak was new, though. "How's college life?"

"It's suiting me quite well."

"You're not staying up all night partying, are you?"

Judy just smiled and Irena shook her head, knowing there was nothing to do but trust her daughter wouldn't get into anything too troublesome.

Gerard Heurassein, Irena's second husband and Estelle's father, was sitting in his usual chair in the living room. Yuri and Judy took seats on the couch to either side of Estelle. The two Lowell siblings traded small talk with Gerard, pretended they were something like a family rather than near strangers, because it would make Irena and Estelle happy. Gerard played along, though Yuri still caught a disapproving look from his stepfather. He loved his mother and his sisters, but Gerard…. Oh, well. There was no such thing as the perfect family.

The guests for Estelle's birthday party started arriving a little before six. Unsurprisingly, Rita was the first to show up. She'd moved to town a few weeks after school had started. Short-tempered and hard to approach, Estelle was the only person who had really befriended her, and the two had become very close during the short time they'd known each other.

Sodia was the next of Estelle's friends to arrive, and Yuri had to wonder why his little sister attracted the kind of friends she did. Sodia was a year older than Estelle, and implacable when crossed. She was in ROTC with Flynn, who she idolized. She absolutely hated Yuri, ostensibly for some of the same reasons Gerard disapproved of him.

Flynn and Karol were the last to make it, pulling up almost at six on the dot. His punctuality was such an old joke at this point that Yuri didn't even bother teasing him when he welcomed them in. As they put their gifts on the kitchen table with the others, Flynn hefted his bag.

"I need your help with a couple problems."

Yuri rolled his eyes. "This is a party, Flynn. It's okay to pull the stick out."

"You're the one who cut our study session short."

"Judy's only back 'till tomorrow. What did you want me to do?"

"Yuri." The boys turned at the sound of Judy's voice. She was leaning against the doorframe, smiling. "Correct me f I'm wrong but, did you break a promise to Flynn to come see me?"

"Umm…not exactly…?"

She shifted her weight and both Flynn and Yuri gulped. They'd seen her take that stance before, usually shortly before she took one of them down in a match.

"It isn't good to break promises. You should make it up to him." The unspoken: _or I will put you on the floor_ hung in the air between them. "Okay?"

"Tomorrow good for you, Flynn?"

"Tomorrow is perfect, thanks."

"Good. The party is this way, gentlemen."

Everyone was gathered in the living room, curled up on the couch or sprawled out on the floor. Karol grabbed Yuri and pulled him down to sit in front of the TV. Flynn took the spot to Yuri's other side. At some point, while the movie was being chosen and snacks were being passed around, Sodia ended up next to him.

They put in the Muppet version of _The Wizard of Oz_ because it was weird and funny and they could treat it as background noise for the conversation. Gerard ordered pizza and the group talked and laughed and ate and MSTed the movie until Irena turned out the lights and carried in a cake topped with sixteen lit candles. They muted the TV and everyone gathered around to sing "Happy Birthday" and watch Estelle blow out the tiny flames.

She opened her gifts while everybody ate cake. As they chatted, the movie drew to a close, unnoticed. Before they knew it, it was getting late and Gerard was suggesting that it was time for the boys to leave. Estelle saw Flynn and Karol off with hugs and thanks, and Yuri walked them to the door.

On the porch, Flynn hesitated for a moment, then turned back to Yuri. "Did you want to come spend the night at my place?" They'd had sleepovers before, not so much lately, because it had been getting weird, what with his unvoiced crush on his best friend, but, double-edged sword that it was, Flynn liked being around Yuri, liked the fact that Yuri could send him reeling through half a dozen emotions in no time without a thought, just because he was Yuri.

"That's a great idea!" Karol exclaimed. "We can have a guys' night!"

Smiling crookedly, Yuri shook his head. "Sorry, boss. I'm gonna hang here with Judy. Another time, okay?"

"All right."

They did their secret handshake as Flynn watched, amused and disappointed and relieved and resigned all at once. At least Yuri would be coming by to study the next day. They'd have the rest of the school year to hang out together. After that…well, maybe Flynn would confess after graduation. Maybe it would change things.

He sorta doubted it.

* * *

The girls went to get changed into their PJs while Yuri and Judy helped their mother set up the foldout couch. As they finished and Judy went in search of more pillows, Gerard pulled Yuri aside.

"I don't want you spending the night out here with those girls."

Yuri wondered briefly if making Gerard think he was gay would change the way the man thought about him, decided that it would—in a bad way—and discarded the idea.

"I'm just gonna hang out for a bit while Judy's up."

Gerard still looked like he didn't trust him, but the girls were coming back and he didn't say anything more to Yuri. He kissed his daughter on the head, wished her a happy birthday, and said good night. Yuri relaxed once he had disappeared into the master bedroom with Irena.

"So who wants to play spin the bottle?" he asked immediately. He grinned, thinking Gerard would probably like him better if he didn't joke around about shit like that.

"Yuri!" Knowing he was kidding, Estelle covered a smile with her hand.

"Gross!" Sodia glared at him. "Why are you even still here, you perv?"

"What can I say? I exist to piss you off. It's my one true calling in life."

"Can you guys knock off the black rom crap long enough for Estelle to enjoy her birthday party?" When every person in the room turned to her in silent confusion, Rita realized what she had just said.

"What's black rom?"

Rita looked at Estelle, flailing. "Nothing! It's nothing. Never mind. Let's just play a game, okay?" She glared at Yuri. "_Not_ spin the bottle."

"Jeez, can't anyone take a joke? Not like there's anyone here I'd wanna kiss anyway. Half of you guys are my sisters. Yuck." He stuck out his tongue and Estelle giggled.

"What about truth or dare?" Judy suggested.

"Where's the fun in that? You guys haven't played truth or dare 'till you've played it with Flynn. That game brings out his sadistic side."

Rita swatted at him. "Would you just shut up? Estelle, what do you wanna play?"

"I like Judy's idea. So, Rita, truth or dare?"

"Me? Um…truth. But nothing too personal, okay?"

Estelle leaned forward, eagerly. "There's someone you like, isn't there?"

"Wh-what? You can't…. No personal questions!"

"That would defeat the point. Besides, I think you've already answered the question." Knowing it would only annoy Rita further, Yuri smirked.

"Whatever! Sodia, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Did you agree to come to the party tonight because of Estelle, or because you knew Flynn would be here?"

"Of course not! I was happy to be invited. Thank you, Estelle."

"You're welcome."

Even uptight, Flynn-obsessed Sodia liked Estelle. Everyone did. It was hard not to.

"Back to you, Rita. Truth or dare?"

"Again? Fine, truth."

Sodia grinned wickedly. "Who's your secret crush?"

"You can't ask that!"

"Can and did. Spill."

"I changed my mind. I pick dare."

"All right." Suddenly, Sodia's smile was a whole lot sharper. "I dare you to kiss Estelle."

Spluttering, trying and failing to find words to protest, Rita turned red as a beet.

"That's not a very challenging dare," Estelle said. "Here, Rita." She leaned closer, tilting her head to offer her cheek for a kiss. Apparently, she was the only one in the room who hadn't understood what Sodia was getting at.

With no way to refuse, Rita went through with the dare. Her lips had barely touched Estelle's cheek before she pulled away, red-faced and scowling at the room at large. "Yuri," she barked. "Truth or dare?"

"Dare. And make it a good one."

"I dare you…" she glanced at Sodia, and was suddenly smirking. "I dare you to kiss Flynn, on the mouth, in the middle of the cafeteria at school on Monday."

If she had been trying to get back at Sodia, it worked. "You can't do that! Flynn isn't playing, so you can't use him as part of a dare!"

"Can and did."

"Maybe that isn't such a good idea," Judy put in.

"I'm up for it. I've never backed down from a dare, yet."

"You better not touch him, Lowell!"

"Yeah, right," Rita sneered. "I bet you chicken out."

"How much you wanna bet?"

"Twenty bucks."

"Done."

"I really don't think this is a good idea, Yuri."

He looked at Judy and shrugged. "I can't back out now. Besides, what's the worst that could happen? So. Truth or dare?"

* * *

Flynn, Yuri, and Estelle had carpooled to school ever since the boys had gotten their licenses. Monday was Yuri's turn to drive, which meant half the time conversation took a backseat to whichever band he was most into at the moment. Flynn recognized the CD as soon as he got into the car as one of Yuri's favorites and sighed in expectation of what was coming.

Yuri sang with more enthusiasm than skill, but that was okay since he wasn't so bad, really, and it worked for the type of music he preferred. He started in on what had to be one of his favorite songs, given how often Flynn heard it; something that started with the question: "If I died tomorrow, would this song live on forever?" When Flynn called it morbid, Yuri laughed and skipped a few tracks to a song about making out in bathrooms and falling asleep together in too-small apartments, and Flynn remembered that sometimes he kind of liked this band too, which was good since he heard it often enough that he was beginning to learn some of the lyrics.

It was a fifteen minute ride to the high school, during which no one could talk over Yuri belting out songs at the top of his lungs. "See you at lunch!" was the only thing Yuri actually said to Flynn that entire morning. They did share a lunch period at least, and two classes after that. Still, it was a little annoying that so many events lately had been conspiring to steal Yuri's attention. Flynn felt like he hadn't really had a chance to talk to his best friend in weeks.

The morning dragged by uneventfully, save for a brief run-in with Sodia between his first two classes. She caught him in the hall just after his AP English class and pulled him out of the flow of bodies.

"Stay away from Lowell today."

"Why?"

"Just…. He's planning something stupid. Eat lunch outside, or something."

Flynn smiled and told her not to be late for class. If Yuri was planning something, he wasn't going to miss it, even if he only ended up lecturing his friend afterward. When Yuri started making plans, things got interesting.

Senior lunch finally rolled around and Flynn shoved his books into his bag and took off eagerly for the cafeteria. Yuri was waiting for him just outside and he complained about his morning classes as they waited in line for what passed for food in the public school system.

Trays in hand, they set out across the room in search of a pair of free seats. Halfway across, Yuri stopped.

"Hey, would you say we're in the middle of the cafeteria?"

What sort of question was that? "Yeah, more or less. Why?"

"'Scuse me a sec." He set his tray down on the end of a table between the lunches of two other students. "Set your food down," he told Flynn.

"Why?" He did as he was told, ignoring the looks from the group whose space they were usurping.

Out of nowhere, Yuri grabbed Flynn's face, yanked him forward, and planted a kiss squarely on his lips.

The kiss lasted a good three seconds and left Flynn gaping like a fish when it was over. Yuri grinned and shrugged and said, by way of explanation into the silence that had filled the cafeteria: "Truth or dare."

Then, like it was nothing, like he hadn't just kissed his best friend in the world on the mouth in front of the entire senior class, he picked up his lunch tray and went about looking for someplace to sit down and eat. Flynn followed him, largely because he was too shocked to consider another option. People started talking again as they went. A few hooted, and Yuri spun around, grinning his widest, and pumped a fist into the air.

They found a spot near the back of the room. Yuri dropped into his seat and immediately began playing with his food, searching for an edible piece or two beneath the congealing gravy.

"What—" Flynn stopped, cleared his throat, tried again. "What the hell was that?"

"Huh?" Yuri looked up from his lunch. How could he focus on something so trivial after what he'd done?

"Why did you…?" He couldn't say it. He licked his lips and thought he could still taste Yuri. He couldn't remember if he'd brushed his teeth that morning.

"Oh. Rita dared me to." He started picking at his food again, as if that was all the explanation he needed and, because it was Yuri, it sort of was. Of course he wouldn't have considered not taking the dare. Of _course_ he wouldn't think that maybe he shouldn't kiss Flynn in front of their entire class. _Of course_ he wouldn't think that maybe it would be a bad idea to kiss someone who just might be harboring a years-long secret crush on him.

_Stop picking at that slop, you asshole, and_ look at me! _Fuck, fuck, _fuck_!_

What Flynn actually said was: "Yuri, don't you think there's something more important than your food right now?"

"I don't think this is food. I'm pretty sure I saw a picture of this during the geology slideshow. If they'd left this buried a few more years, it would have finished turning into a fossil fuel."

He looked up, finally, when Flynn didn't respond to his joke. "Something wrong?"

"What do you think, Yuri?"

"It was just a dare. The kids at the table heard me. Don't worry about it. You catch any crap from anybody, send 'em to me and I'll set 'em straight." He cracked his knuckles, smirking.

"That's not—I'm not worried about what people will think, you idiot!"

"Then what's the problem?" He was honestly confused and starting to get angry about it. "Mr. Model Student suddenly too good to help me win a bet?"

"You made a _bet_ about kissing me?"

"Won twenty bucks. Should I buy you dinner since I sullied your honor?" The sarcasm was so thick, Flynn was surprised he didn't choke on it.

"You know what? I'm not hungry." He picked up his tray and dumped the untouched food in the trash on his way out of the cafeteria.

"What the hell?" Yuri watched him leave, thinking maybe he didn't know Flynn as well as he'd thought. Maybe Flynn had changed. He used to love truth or dare.

With a shrug, Yuri turned his attention back to the plate of organic matter masquerading as food. He took a small bite, and immediately wondered what he had done to make the universe punish him.


	2. Part 2

A/N: I'd read somewhere that some high schools offer ASL as an elective. I didn't have much room to mention in-fic, but Flynn took it because he thought it would be helpful and look good on his resume. Yuri took it so he could talk to Flynn in other classes without the teachers noticing.

I put text convos in |these things,| since the editor ate my greater-than-less-than brackets. :/

Fluri, smidges of Ristelle

Disclaimer: The characters and settings in this story are borrowed from _Tales of Vesperia_ and do not belong to me.

* * *

Flynn didn't speak to Yuri during their Calculus or ASL classes. He didn't respond to Yuri's furtive signing and outright ignored him when Yuri stopped caring about how obvious he was being. He snubbed Yuri in the hallway after school. The only reason Yuri didn't leave him to walk home was that Flynn was there to catch him when some overgrown jock shoved Yuri hard into the lockers. He might have pressed for a fight had it only been Yuri there, but faced with identical stares from a pair known to be more than capable in a fight, he backed down and melted into the crowd.

Yuri still insisted on playing his music too loud and shouting along to the lyrics as he drove Flynn home.

Once he'd dropped Flynn off, Estelle cranked the volume down to nothing and turned to stare at him from the passenger seat. She was about the only person who could get away with messing with Yuri's music. Well, her and Judy, because a smart man did not say no to Judy.

"I heard you actually kissed Flynn. Some people asked me if it was true that the two of you were going out."

"You told them it was a dare, right?"

"Yes." She was quiet for a minute. "I think…I think maybe you shouldn't have done that. Flynn didn't look very happy."

"He'll get over it." Eventually. Flynn could be pretty weird about holding grudges. When they were little, Yuri had beat up a kid that had been picking on them and Flynn hadn't talked to him for a week because the kid hadn't known karate. Yuri didn't either at that point—they'd only just started the class a month ago—but that wasn't the point as Flynn saw it.

Yuri made it all the way up to his room before his phone alerted him to a text from Flynn.

_release the finn bomb_

That particular text alert never failed to make him smirk. He looked to see what Flynn had to say.

* * *

Flynn sighed, watching Yuri drive off. Sometimes he wondered why they were friends. He didn't even bother wondering why he'd fallen for him. _That way madness lies._

He killed time in his room until he gauged Yuri should be home, then pulled out his phone and texted him. He didn't want to talk to him at all, but Yuri and Estelle might still be expecting him in the morning.

|I'll drive you and Estelle to school tomorrow, since it's my turn. After that, don't worry about carpooling until I tell you otherwise.|

Yuri got back to him right away. He was quick, largely at the expense of the English language. |what dont wanna be seen coming to school w me? we show up w my kid sis whats anyone gonna say?|

|That's not it.|

|whats the big deal? everyone knows it was a joke ur w sodia|

"No, I'm not!" He'd told him that. How many times had they had this conversation? He started typing.

Halfway through his message, his phone rang like a bell. Yuri had been quicker.

|shes prolly more pissed than u|

Flynn tried again, was interrupted again.

|avenge me if ur angry gf murders me|

|were not dating!|

|no need to shout =]|

Flynn sighed. He couldn't even text Yuri without losing his composure.

When he thought for a minute, Flynn realized he couldn't place all the blame on Yuri. If he'd ever worked up the nerve to confess, even to drop a few hints, then ignorance wouldn't have been an excuse. He was still pissed, though.

He decided to let Yuri stew for a few days. _Maybe_ he'd realize what the problem was…but Flynn doubted it.

* * *

The ride to school on Tuesday was awkward. Flynn kept up a conversation with Estelle, but refused to so much as look at Yuri who sulked, slouching down in the front seat until his head was barely level with the window.

They didn't sit together at lunch, didn't speak between their classes. Yuri sat in the back for the ride home and put his feet up on Flynn's seat. Even that failed to get a reaction. He spent the rest of the day in his room with his music turned up way too loud.

On Wednesday, they didn't even see each other until Calculus. There was a test that day. Yuri spent the first few minutes figuring out exactly how many problems he had to solve correctly to get a passing score. He worked through the ones he needed, leaving one incomplete for partial credit. It meant that the teacher would decide whether he hit the passing mark or earned a point or two above it, but he'd always considered it cheating to take the point deduction for leaving his name off his paper.

He glanced at Flynn as he finished and could tell he was struggling. It had never made sense to Yuri that a subject where the questions only had one right answer (well, two if you were dealing with square roots) would give his best friend so much trouble. Did he just over-think it, or something?

When Yuri turned in his test, he was sure of his score within two points, so he wasn't surprised when Judy texted him that evening asking how he'd done.

|passed|

He _was_ surprised by her response.

|You kissed him, didn't you?|

|what the hell howd u know?|

|Your misdirected anger expresses itself in predictable ways. He didn't take it well?|

|no dunno y everyone knows it was a dare no ones teasing him|

|Why don't you try thinking for a minute about why someone might be upset by being kissed on a dare?|

|too many answers my brains not wired that way|  
|god hes such a girl just gonna go talk to him|

|That's my sweet little brother. Try not to antagonize him too much.|

* * *

Yuri caught Flynn in the parking lot after school Thursday afternoon.

"You doing anything today?"

For a moment, Flynn hesitated, not sure he wanted to answer. He felt childish giving Yuri the silent treatment though, and it wasn't like he could just count on him to figure it out on his own.

"I don't have plans."

"Good. I'm coming over after I drop Estelle off at home." He spun and walked off. Flynn didn't bother protesting. He could rarely talk Yuri out of anything.

He drove home, mulling over the situation, wondering if Yuri had simply gotten tired of being ignored or if he'd actually managed to get to the root of the problem. Either way, he couldn't help feeling a little relieved at the coming end to the tension between them.

He sat down at his desk and tried to take care of some homework. Every few minutes, however, his mind went wandering. He felt nervous, not sure what he should say to Yuri if he'd figured it out, or even if he hadn't and was coming over to demand an explanation. He paced around his room. What was taking him so long?

When Yuri finally arrived, he announced his presence with a tap on Flynn's second story window. He hadn't climbed into the room like that in years, and Flynn had to force back a smile brought on by nostalgia as he let him in.

"I didn't hear you pull up," Flynn said as Yuri dropped unceremoniously to sit on the edge of the bed.

"I walked. Didn't want to get stopped by Karol."

"He really likes you. The whole family does." Predictably, Yuri didn't seem to get the hint.

"Then why've you been pretending I don't exist? What are you so pissed off about? It was just a dare. Have people been on your case about it, or something?"

"No. Just a few stares and giggles, nothing as bad as some of the things I've heard about you."

Yuri shrugged. He'd initiated it, after all, and he wasn't exactly a clean-cut, straight-and-narrow honor student, either. It was only natural that people would have more suspicions about him than Flynn.

"So what's the problem, then? Rita only dared me to do it to piss off Sodia. It was a joke."

"That's just it! Fuck, Yuri!" Flynn sat down heavily on the edge of the bed and ran his hands through his hair. He may as well tell him. Flynn had made a big enough deal out of it already that Yuri wasn't going to let it go until he understood.

"You're such an idiot. I've wanted to do that for years, and you went and turned it into a joke."

He couldn't look at Yuri. Silence settled between them, heavy and uncomfortable, as Flynn waited for a reaction. Beside him, Yuri was still. It was rare for him to be so quiet, and Flynn found it unnerving. _Say something_, he urged mentally. _Anything!_

"Truth or dare?"

"Huh?" That hadn't been anywhere in the possible responses he had considered. He looked up to see Yuri smirking at him.

"Truth or dare?" he repeated. "Pick one."

"Truth, then."

"How do you feel about me?"

"You still can't figure it out? What do you want me to say, Yuri?"

"Say what you want. You picked truth. That must mean you want all your cards on the table."

_In for a penny…._ "All right. I like you."

"How long?"

"Oh no. You already asked your question. It's my turn." He took a breath, steeled himself. "How do you feel about me?"

"I pick dare."

"_Fine_. I dare you to tell me how you really feel about me."

"Cheater. Aren't you supposed to dare me to ask you to prom or something?"

"If anyone's getting asked to prom, it's going to be me asking you. I liked you first."

"You don't know that."

_Wait, what?_ "So, then you…?"

"Let's just say the bet was part truth or dare, part excuse."

"You're not going to say it straight out, are you?"

"I don't think you can say something like that 'straight.'"

"Yuri…."

"Figure it out for yourself." Yuri watched him lean closer, watched Flynn's eyes close as their lips met.

The kiss was hesitant, unsure, as if Yuri might suddenly push him away, say it was a joke, say it was disgusting. But Yuri didn't push him away and Flynn tilted his head just a little more, pressed just a bit closer. Yuri's lips were soft and pliant, and Flynn thought that maybe this was one of those perfect moments people talked about. There was a soft 'smack' when they pulled apart.

"That was nice." He grinned at the dazed expression on Flynn's face. "Wanna try again?"

"Yes, plea—oof!"

Without warning, Yuri tackled him, knocking him backwards onto the mattress. Flynn pushed at him, settled himself fully on the bed, and then they were making out and Yuri didn't bother looking this time, concentrated on feeling instead, because kissing Flynn for real was way better than he'd imagined.

Yuri settled his weight between Flynn's legs, warm and heavier than he looked, and oh, this was nice, and suddenly there were tongues involved in the kissing and Flynn couldn't think because Yuri—_Yuri_!—was actually kissing him, on his bed—

Abruptly, Flynn sat up, pushing Yuri back. "Get your boots off my bed."

For a stunned moment, Yuri was actually quiet. Then: "You stop a make out session to talk about shoes? You are _such_ a girl."

Flynn swatted him. "Shut up. You're going to get dirt on my pillows."

Yuri swung his legs off the bed and leaned down to unlace his boots. His shirt rode up, exposing a few inches of pale skin at the small of his back. Flynn watched him, still not quite sure he could believe what had just happened.

_We just made out on my bed. Yuri and I did. Together. For real. And it wasn't a dare or a bet or anything. Probably. Right?_

"Yuri, will you be my date to prom?"

"Sure. Long as you don't care that Sodia may actually attempt to kill me."

"I think we can risk it."

This time it was Flynn who pushed Yuri down onto the bed, and that wasn't so bad, either, particularly with the way Flynn was reaching up under Yuri's shirt, fingers stroking over his skin. They were just getting a rhythm going with tongues and breaths and little ooh-that's-nice moans when the door opened.

"Flynn, you got a letter from Za—eep!"

They looked up to see Karol standing in the doorway, gaping at them. Flynn froze up, and Yuri took one look at him before grinning at Karol.

"Hey, boss. Good timing. Can I get your blessing to date your brother?"

That broke Flynn out of his shock. "Yuri!"

"What do you want me to say? 'It's not what you think: your brother just lost something in my mouth and is looking for it with his tongue' isn't really gonna cut it. Don't worry, the boss'll be cool with it. Right, boss?"

"Y-yeah, okay. I gotta go." Karol's voice had been a little higher than normal. He slammed the door and bolted.

Dragging his hands through his hair, Flynn sighed.

"Come on. What's the worst that could happen?"

The worst turned out to be a short but embarrassing little chat with Flynn's mom where she told them she'd sort of suspected Flynn's preferences, and that he would be expected to leave his bedroom door open when Yuri came over from then on, and that, if they did get up to anything, they should use protection. She punched Flynn playfully in the shoulder when she left and said: "Good for you." He was red as a beet by then, and Yuri was fighting back laughter.

"I love your mom."

"Shut. Up." Flynn buried his face in a pillow. _And say that about me. And mean it._

"Aww, cheer up. You've got yourself an awesome boyfriend now. Good for you!" That was the final straw. Yuri dissolved into laughter, sliding bonelessly off the bed into a shaking pile on the floor.

Flynn sighed and tried to be annoyed with him, but it was hard when he kept being nearly overtaken by the urge to shout his excitement to the world now that he was finally _happily_ in love.

* * *

|not that im doubting ur ability to figure it out but flynn n me r dating|

|Congratulations. When's the wedding? ^^|

|shut up u coulda told me if u knew saved some time|

|It's my policy not to interfere directly.|

Yuri snorted and tossed his phone aside onto his bed. Judy was a piece of work.

Flynn glanced up from his homework. "I meant to ask, why does my phone make Rocky Horror AP jokes when Sodia calls me?"

Yuri threw back his head and _cackled_. "Holy shit, what a bitch! Quick, Magenta, flip that switch!" he chanted.

To his credit, Flynn did try not to laugh. "You are a bad person."

"And what's that say about you, _Sweetie_?" When Flynn just shook his head and kept working, Yuri rolled over onto his side and patted the covers. "C'mere."

Sensing that Yuri was in one of his moods and probably wouldn't be letting him get anything done anytime soon, Flynn stood up and went to sit on the bed. It was a pretty good trade he thought, leaning down to kiss him.

Yuri hummed into the kiss and pulled back a little, smirking. "The runway lights are the deepest blue, like the colors of your eyes. So close them tight and kiss me one last time."

They were lyrics from one of the songs on that CD, the one that Flynn had to admit was really growing on him. He arched a brow. "'One _last_ time?'"

Yuri shrugged and pulled Flynn down to kiss him one more time, very thoroughly.

Bracing himself on the bed with one hand, Flynn rested his other hand on Yuri's hip. He didn't miss the shiver as he trailed fingers along the skin just above the waistline of Yuri's jeans. He loved that he could touch Yuri like that, loved that he could make him shiver and pull Flynn closer, loved that there was so much to look forward to, so many expressions he wanted to see Yuri make, sounds he wanted to coax from him.

Estelle chose that moment to peek in on them. "Yuri, I—oh!" She ducked back outside and closed the door, raising her voice to be heard.

"I'm sorry! Judy just texted me, so I wanted to ask you about it, but I guess I don't really need to, huh?"

"It was obvious, wasn't it?" Apparently Rita was visiting. "I mean, those two have been linked up on my shipping wall since I met them."

There was silence for a moment, then Estelle asked: "Rita, what's a ship—"

"Nothing! Never mind. Let's go back to your room."

Their footsteps receded down the hallway, and Flynn sighed. "Is that how everyone's going to find out?"

"Wanna give the cafeteria a repeat performance and speed things up a bit?"

"No." He moved to pick up where they'd left off, but paused when he saw the expression on Yuri's face, noticed the way he was picking at the sheets.

"Something wrong?"

"I'm thinking about moving to Dahngrest."

"Dahngrest? That's—"

"Just a short drive from Zaphias."

"You're applying?" They could go to college together, after all!

"No. I'm not cut out for some big university. I'll find myself a job, get an apartment…need a roommate for that, though." He grinned up at Flynn, cocking his head to the side in an unspoken question.

"I…how long have you been thinking about this?"

"For a while now. You remember my uncle Raven? He lives there. I can stay with him until I can stand on my own two feet."

"And you want us to get an apartment together?"

"You don't think it's a good idea?"

"Are you sure you won't reconsider about Zaphias? Even without a scholarship, you could get student loans. It would be such a waste if you didn't go to college."

"I'm flattered by your estimation of my capabilities, but I think I'll leave the hard work to you."

"Yuri—"

"Shut up." Yuri dragged him down and kissed him until neither of them had a thought to spare for school.

Just as Flynn was tugging Yuri's shirt off, admiring the shift of muscles under smooth skin, they were interrupted by his phone.

_ holy shit what a bitch quick magenta flip that switch_

Yuri made it to the phone first, grinning ear to ear. "Flynn's phone. His mouth is currently otherwise occupied so—oh, _fuck_, Flynn! Yeah! Just like that!"

"_Yuri_!" Caught between horror and hilarity, Flynn wrestled him for control of the phone. "Give it here, you asshole!" He won the fight, leaving Yuri shaking with quiet laughter.

"Sorry, Sodia. He was just kidding. …Um, yeah, actually, we are. No, I…. Hey. If you're going to talk like that, I'm hanging up. I'll see you at school." He ended the call and frowned at his phone before tossing it aside.

"What did you do to make her hate you?"

"I've got what she wants."

"We weren't even dating when you two first met."

"Maybe Rita wasn't the only one who figured it was inevitable."

Reaching out, Flynn twined his fingers with Yuri's. He kind of liked that thought; that it was inevitable they'd be together. Fated. It felt nice. It felt right.

"Hey, I'm getting kinda cold here. We gonna continue, or what?"

Flynn rolled his eyes. Yuri was pushy and obnoxious, beautiful and brilliant, and all his. Just then he felt he couldn't have wished for anything more.


End file.
